Science Cartoons (SciToons)

Author(s):  
Oludurotimi Adetunji ◽  
Roger Levine

The 21st century offers many technological advancements resulting from cutting-edge research being conducted by scientists and engineers at higher education institutions, industries, and national labs. As exciting scientific research is being conducted, the need to address the challenges of inspiring and engaging new learners in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields continues to grow. The authors present the Science Cartoons (SciToons) program as a model for making science more accessible through the integration of the arts with STEM (STEAM). The SciToons model is based on a Multimedia Learning Theoretical Framework (MLTF), which facilitates co-creation of knowledge and takes into account the contributions of STEM and non-STEM experts. The SciToons model combines this knowledge and expertise with art, animation, high-quality multimedia, and storytelling in the development of science videos that are engaging to a broad audience.

Author(s):  
Jeffrey M. Morris

The Department of Performance Studies at Texas A&M University is building a culture of innovation through strategic facility development, a focus on students sharing work through public performance, and interdisciplinary collaboration. The department has embraced the celebrated strengths of our university in STEM fields (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) by developing interdisciplinary experiences and inspiring facilities (through technology and curriculum grants). These experiences contribute to the university at large by demonstrating how technology can connect with the human element and how technology impacts human expression. Students benefit by joining faculty in exploring the new and also rediscovering the traditional.


Author(s):  
Pamela M. Leggett-Robinson ◽  
Brandi Campbell Villa

In 1976, the challenges faced by women of color who pursue careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields were first brought to national attention. Forty-two years later, the authors re-examine the challenges, barriers, and successes of women of color in STEM higher education. This chapter examines the landscape of the STEM professoriate through a literature review (journals, trade magazines, theses, and dissertations) and reflective shorts and quotes from women of color navigating the STEM professoriate. The literature review spans a 10-year period (2008-2018). Both the review and the reflections focus on the areas of STEM belonging, self-presentation, stereotyping, institutional racism, discrimination, and tokenism as challenges faced by women of color in the STEM professoriate. Additionally, mechanisms used by women of color to navigate and succeed despite these barriers, such as mentoring, are explored throughout.


Author(s):  
Ursula Thomas ◽  
Jill Drake

Understanding why women are underrepresented in various Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics fields remains an important area of research. In the United States and in many industrialized nations around the world, STEM professions remain male dominated. Explanations for why women are not participating STEM professions are many and diverse. The Ecology Systems Theory (EST) presents a lens through which the causes for the continued underrepresentation of women in STEM fields may be examined. EST is widely accepted theoretical framework for exploring the influences that contribute to the development of an individual. The study presented in this chapter explored the familial, educational, economic, and social experiences of 125 female participants working in a STEM field. Findings suggest there are influences at specific levels in EST that can and do affect the educational and career aspirations of women in relationship to STEM fields.


2019 ◽  
Vol 18 (3) ◽  
pp. mr3
Author(s):  
Daniel L. Reinholz ◽  
Tessa C. Andrews

There has been a recent push for greater collaboration across the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields in discipline-based education research (DBER). The DBER fields are unique in that they require a deep understanding of both disciplinary content and educational research. DBER scholars are generally trained and hold professional positions in discipline-specific departments. The professional societies with which DBER scholars are most closely aligned are also often discipline specific. This frequently results in DBER researchers working in silos. At the same time, there are many cross-cutting issues across DBER research in higher education, and DBER researchers across disciplines can benefit greatly from cross-disciplinary collaborations. This report describes the Breaking Down Silos working meeting, which was a short, focused meeting intentionally designed to foster such collaborations. The focus of Breaking Down Silos was institutional transformation in STEM education, but we describe the ways the overall meeting design and structure could be a useful model for fostering cross-­disciplinary collaborations around other research priorities of the DBER community. We describe our approach to meeting recruitment, premeeting work, and inclusive meeting design. We also highlight early outcomes from our perspective and the perspectives of the meeting participants.


2020 ◽  
pp. 153819272091836
Author(s):  
Elsa Gonzalez ◽  
Cecilia Contreras Aguirre ◽  
Joenie Myers

This study examined the success and persistence of Latina students in the complex environment of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields at a Tier 1 Research higher education institution in Texas. For this qualitative study, 10 Latina students pursuing STEM majors were interviewed within a framework focusing on Greene’s resilience theory. Results of this study suggest a strong likelihood for Latinas to succeed in STEM fields because of their development of resilience.


2019 ◽  
Vol 116 (6) ◽  
pp. 1865-1869 ◽  
Author(s):  
David Skorton

The nature of work is changing rapidly in the digital age, increasing the demand for skills in specific disciplines. Across the United States and beyond, this evolution has led to an increased emphasis on science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education at every level. Meanwhile, at US institutions of higher education, the proportion of undergraduate students who earn a degree in the humanities is declining. However, while the public discussion often pits the disciplines against one another, the sciences, arts, and humanities are—as Albert Einstein once wrote—“branches of the same tree” [(2006)The Einstein Reader]. They are mutually reinforcing. Therefore, the best way to prepare the next generation for the future of work, life, and citizenship is to provide broad, holistic educational experiences that integrate the STEM disciplines with the arts and humanities. A new study from the Board on Higher Education and Workforce of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine bolsters the case for such an approach, finding considerable evidence that the mutual integration of disciplines leads to improved educational and career outcomes for undergraduate and graduate students.


F1000Research ◽  
2015 ◽  
Vol 4 ◽  
pp. 66 ◽  
Author(s):  
Catherine Joynson ◽  
Ottoline Leyser

In 2014, the UK-based Nuffield Council on Bioethics carried out a series of engagement activities, including an online survey to which 970 people responded, and 15 discussion events at universities around the UK to explore the culture of research in the UK and its effect on ethical conduct in science and the quality of research. The findings of the project were published in December 2014 and the main points are summarised here. We found that scientists are motivated in their work to find out more about the world and to benefit society, and that they believe collaboration, multidisciplinarity, openness and creativity are important for the production of high quality science. However, in some cases, our findings suggest, the culture of research in higher education institutions does not support or encourage these goals or activities. For example, high levels of competition and perceptions about how scientists are assessed for jobs and funding are reportedly contributing to a loss of creativity in science, less collaboration and poor research practices. The project led to suggestions for action for funding bodies, research institutions, publishers and editors, professional bodies and individual researchers.


Author(s):  
Yvette E. Pearson ◽  
Quincy G. Alexander

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and other laws have made strides towards equity and inclusion for persons with disabilities in the US. Despite this, challenges persist both in higher education and the workforce, particularly in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields. While students with disabilities indicate interest in and intent to major in STEM disciplines at the same rate as their peers without disabilities, they are not retained through graduation at the same rates, and thus remain underrepresented among STEM graduates and professionals. Those who do complete STEM degrees experience higher unemployment rates and lower average salaries than their colleagues without disabilities. For engineering innovations to optimally serve society, the engineering profession must be representative of society. And this must go beyond counting the numbers; inclusion of diverse perspectives is a must. This chapter shares challenges, opportunities, and strategies for inclusion of persons with disabilities in engineering education and practice.


Author(s):  
L. Kuzemko

The article deals with the problem of quality of professional training. It emphasizes the importance of the 21st century skills developmentamongfuture teachers to ensure quality pedagogicaltraining. The results of theoretical study of normative documents in the field of higher education in Ukraine and foreign works on the formation of general and professional competencies of primary school teachers and educators of preschool education are disclosed. As a result of scientific research, the skills that provide competence training for students of pedagogical specialties in a higher education institution have been identified, in particular: critical thinking, digital skills and cooperation skills. The problem of training teachers of preschool and primary institutions, the content of the current professional standards, the European reference system on key competencies for lifelong learning are studied. The results of the questionnaire survey of 1st-4th year students of specialties and teachers-practitioners are summarized in order to determine the necessary skills and abilities for a modern teacher. The results of diagnostics of the formation of digital skills, interaction skills and critical thinking in first-year students of the Pedagogical Institute of Borys Grinchenko Kyiv University are presented. According to the selected criteria of personal and professional self-development of the teacher (value-motivational, cognitive, activity), the levels (basic, medium and high) and indicators of formation are determined. The levels of their formation are defined: basic (digital skills — 28 people, critical thinking — 52 people, skills cooperation — 23 people); medium (digital skills — 29 people, critical thinking — 24 people, cooperation skills — 34 people); high (digital skills — 21 people, critical thinking — 2 people, cooperation skills — 21 people). The results of studying the qualifications of future teachers of primary and preschool institutions of the 21st century are generalized and the need for purposeful and systematic work on their formation is substantiated. Scientific research examines practical experience in the development and implementation of content-methodological support for the formation of skills of students of pedagogical specialties in a higher education institution.


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